Don Moore

Posts Tagged ‘Higgins Boat’

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Englewood, Fla. resident crewed a Higgins Boat at Iwo Jima

In Army, U.S. Marine Corps, World War II on February 15, 2013 at 4:38 am
Milt Alligood, on the right, is pictured with two of his friends aboard the USS Rutland, an attack transport he erved on during the second World War. He can't remember what his buddies' names are because it's been so long. Photo provided

Milt Alligood, on the right, of Englewood, Fla. is pictured with two of his friends aboard the USS Rutland, an attack transport he served on during the second World War. He can’t remember what his buddies’ names are because it’s been so long. Photo provided

Enemy artillery rounds and small-arms fire rained down in the water all around them as they came ashore on “Red Beach,” near the base of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, with U.S. Marines. Seaman/3rd Milt Alligood manned the steel ramp in the bow of the plywood Higgins Boat. He lowered it as the “Leathernecks” charged from their landing craft into the mouth of hell. Read the rest of this entry »

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John Callahan hit the beach at Okinawa in the first wave

In U.S. Navy, World War II on October 24, 2011 at 4:38 am

John Callahan of P.G.I. holds a picture of the USS St. Mary’s that he served aboard during World War II. Callahan was a Higgins Boat driver who took part in the Battle of Okinawa. Photo provided

John Callahan , of Punta Gorda Isles, Fla., was the coxswain of a Higgins Boat, a plywood and steel landing craft built in the New Orleans area. He and his wooden boat played a part in the Battle of Okinawa, the biggest battle in the Pacific during the Second World War. Read the rest of this entry »

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Cpl. Robert Stilson of Alameda Isles, Englewood fought on Iwo Jima 19 Feb. 1945

In U.S. Marine Corps, World War II on February 18, 2011 at 4:38 am

Marines on Iwo Jima hold Japanese battle flag souvenirs taken from the bodies of dead enemy soldiers. Almost every Japanese marine went into battle carrying a battle flag. Photo provided

Robert Stilson of Alameda Isles Mobile Home Park in Englewood, Fla. was a 19-year-old Marine Corps corporal who charged ashore from a Higgins Boat onto the black sandy beach at Iwo Jima on the first first day in the second wave –Feb. 19, 1945– to play his part in one of the major battles in the Pacific during the closing months of World War II.

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WW II shipmates aboard USS St. Mary’s meet in Punta Gorda after 65 years

In Navy, World War II on November 26, 2010 at 4:38 am

It's been togetherness for Rudy Ricci (left) and Jack Callahan these past several months after Rudy saw Jack's war story in the Sun newspaper. Neither had seen anyone from their World War II ship, the attack transport USS St. Mary's, since they got off the boat 65 years ago. Sun photo by Don Moore

The headline on the story in the Sun read: ‘Jack Callahan served aboard USS St. Mary’s at Okinawa.’ Rudy Ricci of Windmill Village mobile home park in Punta Gorda, Fla. couldn’t believe his eyes.

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Rudy Ricci cut USS St. Mary’s anchor chain and saved ship during WW II

In U.S. Navy, World War II on November 24, 2010 at 4:38 am

This was Rudy Ricci at 17 when he got out of boot camp in 1944 and headed for the biggest battle in the Pacific during the Second World War. Photo provided

World War II was over. The Japanese had signed the surrender aboard the Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay a few weeks earlier when Shipfitter 2nd-Class Rudy Ricci of Windmill Village, Punta Gorda, Fla. stepped into the limelight. He served aboard the USS St. Mary’s off Okinawa Island during a typhoon in Buckner Bay that nearly put the transport on the beach.

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